In 2017, Andrew Garcia's primary task was to put the ball in the back of the net.

During his junior campaign, Garcia led the El Diamante High boys soccer team in points (39) while scoring 15 goals and recording nine assists.

But as a senior, Miners head coach Agustin Gonzalez had Garcia playing at a new position.

Where?

In the midfield.

Despite being new to the position, Garcia and the Miners flourished under his creativity.

As the team's attacking midfielder, Garcia spearheaded the Miners to an outright West Yosemite League title during the 2018 season.

For his accomplishments, he was named by WYL coaches as the league's most valuable player of the year.

Garcia helped lead the Miners to an 11-1 league record. He scored seven goals and tallied nine assists in 12 WYL matches.

"He has always been a team player, but this year, he knew it was his senior year and he cared more about the success of the team," Gonzalez said of Garcia. "That just led him to play better. … He accepted the responsibility and was just willing to do whatever it took to make sure the team was successful. His vision and just his speed of play were a lot faster. His soccer IQ got higher. His touch really helped him get out of tight spaces and helped push our offense forward."

Although he was an attacking force, he also played a major role in helping the team maintain possession for long stretches.

With Garcia's ability to read the field and link up with his teammates in the attacking third, the Miners netted 64 goals in WYL action.

"He might not have gotten all those assists, but he contributed a lot on the pass before the assist," Gonzalez said. "We would look for him in the middle and he would turn and create and give it to our forwards. Andrew was just always there to make sure we gave it to the other side of the field."

El Diamante's Tyler Esteves was selected as the WYL defensive most valuable player.

Redwood's Austin Garcia was named the WYL goalkeeper of the year. The Rangers gave up 11 goals in league competition.

Lemoore's Josh Roa was voted as the WYL offensive player of the year.

The Miners also had three players picked to the All-WYL first team: forward Dakotah Ybarra, defender Lucio Martinez and defender Connor Lawton.

In his varsity debut season, Ybarra was the Miners' leading goal scorer with 33 strikes. The junior winger also chipped in 13 assists.

Along with Esteves, Martinez and Lawton helped direct a four-man Miners' backline that conceded only seven goals in league play.

Redwood had three players named to the All-WYL first team: defender Brian Perez, defender Cade Batchman and forward Alexis Cabrera. The Rangers finished in second place in the WYL standings with a 9-3 record.

Other Visalia players selected to the All-WYL first team were Cesar Lopez (Mt. Whitney), Christian Padilla (Golden West) and Josue Deniz (Mt. Whitney).